


Lost Souls

by SkylaDoragono



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-01-12
Updated: 2011-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-14 21:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylaDoragono/pseuds/SkylaDoragono
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is over and life continues, but when you’ve spend so much time fighting, how are you supposed to return to a normal life?  Ishida Uryuu questions this, to the point where he is unsure of whom he is supposed to be now, and soon finds salvation in the most unlikely of sources.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

His hand was outstretched, bow and arrow at the ready as he had done so many other times before, but this time was some how different. He could feel his fingers trembling, and no matter how much he fought against it, he could not stop the shaking. With a defeated sigh, he lowered his weapon, reigning his spiritual energy back in so the bow and arrow dissipated. He wished he could say that this was the first time this happened, that he was just tense today for some reason he did not know; but it was not the first time, and he doubted it would be the last.

Things had changed.

"Ishida-kun? Are you out here?"

Ishida Uryuu reached up to adjust his glasses, turning toward the sound of the voice. Unfortunately, the owner did not even come into view before he heard a crash, followed by a surprised shout, and the resulting thud drew another sigh out of him.

"Inoue-san, are you all right?" he asked, pushing his way through the undergrowth of his personal training ground to get to her. She was sprawled out rather comically over a tree root, with her rear end sticking high up in the air, her skirt hitched up almost high enough to see her panties. Orihime Inoue turned her head up to him, letting out a nervous laugh as she rubbed the back of her head.

"I'm fine! I just didn't see that tree root..."

Ishida stared at the root she was draped over. Seriously, how could she have missed it...?

He knew better than to ask questions at this point, so instead he knelt down to help her to her feet. She beamed up at him, smile as bright as always as she apologized for falling over. Orihime's smile quickly died soon after, however, a concerned look replacing it.

"Ishida-kun, are you all right? You've missed school for the past few days now..." she began.

As much as he was loath to admit it, it was true; he had been coming out to this training ground by the waterfall every day since Kurosaki had awoken from his coma. He felt it his personal duty after all; the shinigami Soul Society had on duty for Karakura Town was so undependable that even "inept" did not quite describe the man well enough. Still, despite all his training, instead of getting better, he was just getting worse.

"I'm fine... I'll be in school tomorrow," he replied. "I promise."

Orihime did not look convinced, but she did not try to push the point. She reached out, grasping his arm briefly as she looked down to the ground, mouth working a moment as she tried to find the best way to say what she wanted to.

"...they... were not much different from us, were they?" she asked softly. "They just... believed in the wrong person. I wonder... if we..."

Ishida frowned. "Inoue-san..."

She paused then... before shaking her head, letting him go and backing away a bit. "N-never mind! It's stupid to think of such things anyway, right?" She let out a nervous laugh, before turning to start off. "A-Anyway, I need to go to the store before I go home. Get a good night's sleep, Ishi— _whao!"_

Orihime cut herself off as she fell again... over the same tree root.

~.oOOo.~

 _They just... believed in the wrong person._

Those words were still on Ishida's mind as he made his way to school the next morning. It did not take much to know what she had meant by that; there were not many other "they"s out there that could fit that description. It was not something he wanted to think about: his encounter with _those people_ had been less than pleasant, and had led to him having to deal with that damn morally bankrupt _creature_ (because he refused to believe there had once been anything human under that makeup).

Ishida pushed the thoughts out of his mind as he made his way through the front gate of the school, glancing around to see if anyone he knew was there yet. He thought he spotted a head of orange hair, but after shaking his head, he was proven wrong, and of course: Kurosaki had not been to school for awhile, still recovering himself from the war and losing all of his powers. He doubted he would show up now just because he himself had returned as well.

He was the first to class, which was not much of a surprise. As students started to trickle in, however, he could not help but feel uneasy... something was making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, but no matter how far out he stretched his senses, he could not tell what, or who, could be the cause of it. Ishida tapped his papers against the desk stubbornly, trying to ignore it, but as everyone settled down and the homeroom professor came into the class, the feeling only continued to nag at him, getting even worse as the day wore on.

By lunch time, Ishida was practically snapping his pencil in half, tense from whatever bad feelings were crawling up his spine. Instead of eating, he set out through the halls, trying to find the source. Even a physical search proved useless, however, and by the time he came sulking back to his classroom, his stomach was letting out violent noises of protest against this unfair treatment.

Ishida stubbornly ignored it as he plopped down in his seat, pulling out his physics book in preparation for the next class. Though as the other students filed in and the bell rang, no professor came to teach the class. Confused murmurings went through the room, before the door finally opened, and a school aide came into the room.

"We're sorry for the delay, everyone. As you know, Takagawa-san retired last week, and the professor we have to take his place is filling out the last of his paperwork," she informed them, flitting her eyes back and forth from the room to the hallway, looking for the new professor. "He should be here any— Ah!"

She darted out of the room as the sound of steady, even footsteps could be heard from the hallway. Ishida squirmed in his seat, frowning as a knot twisted itself in his stomach; whatever it was that was making his senses respond poorly, it had to do with this professor, because it was getting worse. The aide came back in, much happier and less nervous now that the individual she was intended to introduce was here.

"Thank you for waiting, everyone!" she beamed. "Will you all please welcome your new Physics professor..."

Ishida did not hear her announce the name of their new professor, but then again, he really did not have to. His eyes widened as the man entered the room, taking in the neatly pressed and immaculately cleaned suit, the white rimmed glasses, and the perfectly groomed pink hair.

 _"GAAAAHHHHHH!!!"_

He also did not realize that he screamed, bolting up from his seat and pointing at the individual, until he felt the eyes of everyone in the classroom staring at him. There was an awkward moment as Ishida deflated a bit, realizing how stupid he looked, lowering his arm.

"Ah, Ishida-kun," the new professor began, starting toward him. "I haven't seen you since you were a child. How is your father doing?"

He held a hand out to him, and Ishida glanced down at it, spotting writing on the palm.

 _Make a scene, and death is the least of your worries._

Ishida felt his stomach bottom out; since when had he swapped lives with Kurosaki?! He made a face, reluctantly taking his hand and giving it one shake before quickly dropping it.

"Fine, sir," he managed to get out, sinking back into his seat. The pink haired man smirked down at him, before starting back toward the front of the class.

"Now, as the dear woman was saying," he began, threading his fingers through his hair. "I will be your new physics professor for the next two weeks, after which time you will have a permanent replacement."

He paused long enough to turn around with a dramatic flourish.

"My name is Szayel Aporro Granz."


	2. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

As loath as Ishida was to admit it, Szayel was a damn good actor.

Once school let out, he had dashed from the classroom, ignoring Orihime as she called out for him in concern. No doubt someone would yell at him for ignoring the school princess later, but at the time he did not care. One of the Espada, somehow among the "living" again, was parading around their school like they were a real human being, and it would be a cold day in hell before he just shrugged off something like that.

It did not take long for him to locate the Octava – how many people of that age had pink hair, after all – and he trailed after him, watching as he interacted with the other professors. He played the part of a bumbling new teacher well, smiling and apologetic to everyone. It almost made Ishida want to throw a book at him, and hope it would crack his glasses.

He had to wait a long time before Szayel was finally by himself, and at first it almost seemed as if he did not realize he was being tailed. It did not take long for him to drop the act, and he did not even need to be turned toward him to know there was massive smirk on his face.

"It's rather _rude_ to be snooping around like that, Quincy."

Ishida responded by calling his bow to his hand, drawing back an arrow. Immediately, he could feel his fingers trembling, but he resolutely ignored it, trying to keep his aim steady.

"I think I have every reason to follow you," he replied. "After all, you shouldn't even be here."

Szayel turned then, hands casually slid into his pockets as he regarded the Quincy with a self assured smirk of complete arrogance.

"I shouldn't be here? Rather bold assumption, considering you don't know _why_ I'm here."

"Fine, why are you here?" Ishida asked.

Szayel paused, considering... "I'll leave that for you to find out."

Ishida's lip twitched; goddamn bastard... The Octava raised a hand, pointing to him in the next moment.

"I will say this much," he continued. "I am not here for reasons that normal hollows would be here for, else wise I would have already had my fill by now."

"I don't believe you."

Szayel let out one of those low, cold laughs of his, leaving Ishida to deny that there was a tiny shudder of fear running up his spine.

"Very well then," the Espada said. "If you believe I'm lying with _such utter conviction,_ then release your arrows, Quincy."

Ishida could feel a bead of sweat worming its way around his hair, before gliding down along the side of his face. Of course Szayel Aporro was lying; there was no reason for him to be here other than to feed or to get revenge for that time in Las Noches. _Of course he believed that._

Without a second thought, he let the arrow fly... yet the attack barely left him when it fizzled away into nothingness. Ishida stared, mouth hanging open; there was no way that Szayel could have set up his spiritual pressure suppressing machines here, was there? He would have needed days, and even if he had not been attending school, he would have sensed that kind of disturbance. Not only that, but why just disintegrate the arrow? Why not destroy the bow as well?

Could it really be that Ishida himself was responsible for the failed attack?

He did not get much longer to think about it, as Szayel started toward him. The Quincy drew the bow back again, pulling another arrow, but it was exhausting and already felt like his arm was going to be torn out of its socket. The Espada planted a hand over his wrist, drawing an alarmed noise out of Ishida, but the serious expression on the other man's face prevented him from pulling away.

"You don't have the willpower to fight against me, not to mention any other hollow that may attack."

Ishida growled under his breath, trying to will himself to let the arrow fly into the disgusting man’s gut, but his fingers merely trembled, refusing to let go. Reluctantly, he lowered his bow, letting it dissipate, though the glare he had for Szayel never left his face.

"You're supposed to be dead," he hissed, for lack of a better thing to say.

Szayel merely rolled his eyes, releasing his wrist. "Who is to say I'm not? I merely have business to complete," he replied, before pulling out a cell phone and glancing at the time. "Speaking of... I'm late. If you will excuse me, Quincy."

The Espada turned and just walked out of the school as if Ishida were not there. He stared at his back for a long moment, surprised by the audacity, before swearing under his breath.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Szayel glanced over his shoulder. "Where do all professors go after a long day of teaching? Home," he answered dryly, turning back around, though he waved to Ishida. "See you in class tomorrow. Try not to forget about your paper on the fundamentals of speed and velocity."

Again, Ishida found himself just staring at his retreating back, especially as the main doors of the school swung closed behind him. What the hell was going _on_ here?

~.oOOo.~

 _"Szayel Aporro Granz..."_

 _The former Espada did not budge at his name, listening to it echo across the barren landscape. After a moment, however, he gazed up, his face looking tired and worn, the tolls of the past few months clearly worn on him. His clothes were stained – mostly with his own blood – and tattered beyond saving, and his precious pink hair was matted against his head. New scars had barely begun to heal before fresh wounds were inflicted, some still bleeding, though he had learned to ignore them. It was not like it mattered much in this place..._

 _"What makes you think I would believe your words to be genuine?"_

 _He should have expected that._

 _"If you do not believe me, then I will make this deal with you," he replied. "I will bring you ten thousand souls before the end of the year, in exchange for my release, as well as the release of another."_

 _The owner of the voice paused, raising a bemused eyebrow. It did not take much to realize that Szayel was not the type to stick his neck out for someone else, not to mention the fact the scientist knew this person would know the individual he was asking for. A tense moment passed, before a faint chuckle escaped from the other man._

 _"Very well... Ten thousand lost souls before the end of the year, and you will do it without your resurrección..."_

Szayel stirred in his sleep before waking up, eyes staring out into the darkness of the small space he had chosen to sleep in. That was not a dream, but a memory, a constant reminder of what he had to do to save himself. It did not really bother him, not in the least, but blending in amongst humans was more than a chore, especially when he had very little care for them to begin with.

Suddenly, the cell phone he had left on his chest before he went to sleep came to life, beeping and vibrating like an angry insect. He flipped it open, reading the display, before letting out a faint sigh.

"Already...?"

~.oOOo.~

His favorite pajamas were missing.

Considering Ishida was the only one that lived in the house, having his favorite pair of blue and white pajamas suddenly turn up missing made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. On top of it, as he was folding his laundry for the evening, he noticed that one of his suits was missing as well. That led him to believe that someone had broken into his apartment, but a quick survey of his belongings proved that nothing else but a few clothing articles had been stolen, which made no sense in his mind.

He reluctantly pulled on a different pair of pajamas that night, and was about to crawl into bed when he heard a faint beeping and buzzing noise. Strange... was that his cell phone? Ishida turned, trying to remember where he had left it last... when all of a sudden his closet door banged open, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the pink hair.

"Ishida!" Szayel bellowed. "Get dressed!"

Ishida just stared... and stared... before he let out a scream. _"What are you doing in my closet?! And why are you wearing my favorite pajamas?!"_

He was never going to be able to wear those again; his precious pajamas had been soiled by a demented mad scientist!

"Never mind that," Szayel replied, hopping out of the closet and immediately starting to strip. Ishida went from normal to flushed in less than a second, immediately whirling around. Did he have _no shame?!_

"I said get dressed!" the Espada snapped, and Ishida turned to yell at him, just in time to get a mouthful of his own pants and shirt.

~.oOOo.~

Ishida could only conclude that he had done something to upset the balance of karma, and this was payback for whatever vile thing he did. He grumbled under his breath as he ran after the Octava, glaring needles into the back of the man's head; just what did he think he was saying that he had to come with him on this hollow chase? Did he suddenly believe himself to be a shinigami or something?

...actually, with the way Soul Society operated sometimes, he would not have been very surprised.

Szayel suddenly skidded to a stop, and Ishida plowed right into his back. He let out an annoyed noise, shoving himself a good foot away from him.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, adjusting his glasses as Szayel flipped open his cell phone, pressing a few buttons. There was a long moment where the man did not answer, and Ishida could feel his blood boiling, twitching as he waited for a response.

"I believe I told you there is a hollow here," he finally answered.

As if in response, a loud cry came from a few streets down. Ishida swore under his breath, moving to run toward where the hollow _really_ was.

"Not that one!" Szayel shouted at him, making Ishida skid to a stop and stare at him like he grew another head. "Kill it if you want, but that's not my purpose here!"

Ishida stared for a long moment, opening his mouth to demand just what the hell he was going on about, before a low, trembling moan made the ground at their feet shudder. Szayel smirked, holding out his left hand... and suddenly his sword was there, but how he had gotten it and where it had come from, Ishida had not seen. In the next moment, the world before them was torn open, and a massive, lion-like creature trudged out of the darkness. Its mask opened wide, snarling and snapping the bleach white bone of its teeth.

Szayel barely wasted a second, jumping forward to attack. The hollow struck out with a paw, but the scientist was already in the air, using the paw as a spring board to jump higher. Gravity brought him down after a moment, his sword swinging down as he fell to slice through the hollow's mask in a strike that would make any shinigami proud. Szayel landed in a crouch, holding out his hand and letting the sword disappear, before he stood up, casually walking away as if nothing was wrong.

The hollow cried out in pain, and Ishida reached a hand out, trying to warn him that it was not dead, when a pair of doors suddenly came into existence, massive enough for the hollow to pass though and held together by two skeletons. The locks on the door snapped off, before the doors opened wide, the screams and cries of damned souls escaping from the inside. A moment passed, before a sword suddenly shot out from the darkness, stabbing the hollow straight through the chest, before it was dragged through the doors, disappearing. The doors closed soon after, before disintegrating, no longer needed.

Ishida's arm sagged, not exactly sure what he had just seen, just that it was something he had never seen before. Szayel paused once he drew even with the Quincy, glancing at him, eyebrow raised in slight amusement.

"I would have thought you of all people would know," he began. "A soul that committed heinous deeds in their life is sent to Hell."

Ishida managed to tear his eyes away from where the doors had been, looking up to him. "That's... why you're here?"

"Yes... and no," Szayel replied. "My purpose is to harvest lost souls, whether it is those that are meant to go to Hell, those that are tied to a physical location, and..."

He paused, giving Ishida a pointed look.

"...those that are still living that have lost their way."

Ishida felt himself stop breathing, but he was too preoccupied with his blood suddenly turning to ice to notice. Szayel must have been able to tell that his words hit home, because that smirk returned as he reached up, trailing a finger along the side of his face.

"Yes, Quincy... whether you like it or not, I'm not leaving until you find your way again."


End file.
